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I had the opertunity to see a new YK chiller and it is a nice machine. They addressed the VFD cooling problem as well as the motor bearing fluting problem. So product development is still under way even if it is a crappy place to work.

York, a JCI Company

Normally, I just lurk around this site, but I thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth.

To the OP, the York product line is doing fine. Research and development is still close to what before the buyout. I rarely work on air cooled product, but from what I hear, we are making progress in upgrading some of that equipment. Some of the control problems on the air cooled side were brought about because JCI wanted to incorporate things into existing software to make it easier to mesh with Metasys. Other problems occurred because York was forced to use JCI product suppliers who's quality was not up to par with the suppliers York used. Some of the problems stemmed from the fact that JCI did not want to spend a ton of money on R+D and pushed things out the door to quick. Most of the problems have been worked out, some have not. What I can tell you is that they push the factories to get the product out the door quickly and that is why our warranty work increases everyday!
JCI has a different business philosophy than York had. At York, it was make a quality product, back it up with quality service, and the rest will take care of itself. At JCI, it is get the chiller out the door and bill the customer. They still think that the labor force south of the border is the answer, cheaper cost to manufacture but the prices have not gone down, but the warranty work has gone up.

Normally, I just lurk around this site, but I thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth.

To the OP, the York product line is doing fine. Research and development is still close to what before the buyout. I rarely work on air cooled product, but from what I hear, we are making progress in upgrading some of that equipment. Some of the control problems on the air cooled side were brought about because JCI wanted to incorporate things into existing software to make it easier to mesh with Metasys. Other problems occurred because York was forced to use JCI product suppliers who's quality was not up to par with the suppliers York used. Some of the problems stemmed from the fact that JCI did not want to spend a ton of money on R+D and pushed things out the door to quick. Most of the problems have been worked out, some have not. What I can tell you is that they push the factories to get the product out the door quickly and that is why our warranty work increases everyday!
JCI has a different business philosophy than York had. At York, it was make a quality product, back it up with quality service, and the rest will take care of itself. At JCI, it is get the chiller out the door and bill the customer. They still think that the labor force south of the border is the answer, cheaper cost to manufacture but the prices have not gone down, but the warranty work has gone up.

Without any doubt, this is the best responce I have ever heard or read concerning the purchase of my beloved York. No flaming, no bull-****, just plain simple well thought out facts. My hat is off to you HVACFITTER562.

Fortunately jci kept some of the key people in the engineering group such as KB, BH, DD, MG, and a couple of others who have given their all to create a top of the line product. These guys have always had a great relationship with the experienced YORK mechanics. They found that after the aquisition that jci flooded the chiller service world with subpar mechanics(based on lack of training and time on the equipment) and they, the product engineering group was mandated to bail their ass out on a daily basis. I think jci has since regrouped and is allowing these key people to assume their pryor roles and continue to develop a wonderful product. BUT the old saying still holds true today that NOBODY LEAVES YORK CARRIER AND TRANE TO WORK FOR jci, but jci mechanics always leave to work for YORK CARRIER OR TRANE. With that being said, I would like to see the numbers on how many YORK mechanics have left since the buyout. I have heard it is around 60% but can not prove this. If that is the case, I personally believe they have set themselves back at least five years across chiller service spectrum.

I spent nine years with Jci and was going to york when Jci purchased them. I watched Jci ruin a great company and brand. I stayed there for 4 years after the purchase as a chiller team manager and after watching Jci screw customers that had been with york for decades leave in droves I decided that I could not be part of a company that did not Care for it's field techs or customers anymore.

I took the branch manager position with a mechanical company and in one you 9 techs have left Jci and are working for me now.

A company is only as good as the field techs that are taking care of the customers.

I spent nine years with Jci and was going to york when Jci purchased them. I watched Jci ruin a great company and brand. I stayed there for 4 years after the purchase as a chiller team manager and after watching Jci screw customers that had been with york for decades leave in droves I decided that I could not be part of a company that did not Care for it's field techs or customers anymore.

I took the branch manager position with a mechanical company and in one you 9 techs have left Jci and are working for me now.

A company is only as good as the field techs that are taking care of the customers.

Ditto

A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.

The best part of going to work is coming back home at the end of the day.

Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all.

I spent nine years with Jci and was going to york when Jci purchased them. I watched Jci ruin a great company and brand. I stayed there for 4 years after the purchase as a chiller team manager and after watching Jci screw customers that had been with york for decades leave in droves I decided that I could not be part of a company that did not Care for it's field techs or customers anymore.

I took the branch manager position with a mechanical company and in one you 9 techs have left Jci and are working for me now.

A company is only as good as the field techs that are taking care of the customers.

AMEN. I spent my apprenticeship with YORK and personally witnessed jci screw too many customers and blame it on us the mechanics. I now work for the competition at their request and have found life to be like old YORK, where the emphasis is on taking care of the customer, making a profit and going home safe at the end of the day.

If you want to learn about York and it΄s history / role in the industry, read this:http://www.amazon.com/Legend-York-In.../dp/0945903170
Just keep in mind that they΄ve got founded in 1874 just three years after Carl von Lindes theoretical considerations about refrigeration. They made history! And now they are history...........unfortunately. But i will never forget! If you want to explore why JCI and York came together, then just go to Google and make yourself aware of the annual salary of the CEO`s from JCI and York before and after the deal!

I watched for many years from the front row JCI purchasing other companies. Sometimes multiple ones in a year to suit their business model at that particular time whether it was an HVAC Valve company or an automotive based company.
The need to purchase a large equipment manufacturer was something commonly spoken about for 10-15 years at JCI and with the huge growth on the JCI automotive side of the house the funds were there and along with the re-structuring at the branch level it was put in motion with a lot of pain and suffering as large amounts of experienced people with decades of experience were RIFFED within years or retirement while others had their job titles changed and salaries cut.
JCI is still looking for profitable mechanical contractors to gobble up and continue their search for a Fire Alarm company to purchase to compliment the Security Division. It is a huge company driven by profits for the stockholders but it has and always be a very large company with a lot of turnover that demands a lot from it's divisions most of all profitability. If a division can be made more profitable by relocating a manufacturing facility to another country then thats what global companies do regardless if it was in the same town for decades.

If you can't fix it with JB Weld, Duct Tape, and Ty Wire it has to be replaced.
No good deed goes unpunished.
If you want to take off friday to go fishing then make sure you train your helper right.

It isn't just JCI , its all the large corporations today its just buisness as usual with little consideration for the working class and there families. Shareholders and there profits is all they give a **** about basicly its just a big machine thats always hungry and in order to feed its hunger it just gobbles up the competition to feed its own appitite it other words its market share and they want it all greed at the highest level the **** goes in before the name goes on.

A mind is like a parachute. It doesn't work if it is not open.

The best part of going to work is coming back home at the end of the day.

Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all.

I would like to see the numbers on how many YORK mechanics have left since the buyout. I have heard it is around 60% but can not prove this. If that is the case, I personally believe they have set themselves back at least five years across chiller service spectrum.

Talked with one of the guys at the factory before I took off 3 years ago and he said that at least 70% of the senior mechanics (10 years of better) had left. A few that were near retirement stuck around 'cause the change wasn't worth the trouble, and a few found whatever it takes to stay with a company like that and have assimilated into the culture. I know several that stayed that I would love to have had with me when I restarted Dad's old business, but at this point I'd be afraid that anyone who could live in that environment would have changed - it would be a hard decision to make to take a chance like that.

Change is not an Option

I know several that stayed that I would love to have had with me when I restarted Dad's old business, but at this point I'd be afraid that anyone who could live in that environment would have changed - it would be a hard decision to make to take a chance like that.

Klove,
Some of us old Legacy York dinosaurs neither like, nor have bowed to the JCI way of customer service. I have all my old York accounts dating back as far as 25 years. I have had Carrier try to get me to jump ship, and Seimans wanted me to start a service business in this area for them, but at that point in my career I elected to stay put. As a matter of fact, my district manager has taken a lot of advice on how we did things differently at York than JCI. Some of it has been implemented and some has not. It's a struggle every day, and wears you down mentally, but if they want me gone, they will have to get rid of me........ and my customers! ...... Probably why I"m still here!